Social networking grouping hierarchy

ABSTRACT

A social networking environment enables interaction between social networking (SNET) groups. Some interactions between SNET groups can include docking various SNET groups based upon interactions between a member and some part of a social network. Various hierarchies of social networking infrastructure can enable hierarchical interactions between social devices, SNET groups, and other elements associated with various social networking infrastructures. Capabilities provided by various elements in various SNET infrastructures can be docked to create combined SNET groups, and capabilities provided by an SNET group can be accessed via interaction with a representative view of the capabilities. Various interactions can be managed based upon inputs, trigger events, authorizations, and the like provided by various processing systems, devices, members, or the like. Various interactions can enable members associated with an SNET infrastructure to access capabilities provided by an SNET group via a docked SNET group.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENTS/PATENT APPLICATIONS

The present U.S. Utility patent application claims priority pursuant to35 U.S.C. §120, as a continuation of Ser. No. 13/436,557, entitled“Social Networking Grouping Hierarchy” filed Mar. 30, 2012, which ishereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety and made part ofthe present U.S. Utility patent application for all purposes, which is acontinuation-in-part (CIP) to the following U.S. Utility patentapplications, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentirety and made part of the present U.S. Utility patent applicationfor all purposes:

-   -   1. U.S. Utility patent application Ser. No. 13/342,301, entitled        “Social Network Device Memberships and Applications,” filed Jan.        3, 2012, which claims priority pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to        the following U.S. Provisional patent application which is        hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety and made        part of the present U.S. Utility patent application for all        purposes: U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No.        61/545,147, entitled “Social Network Device Memberships and        Resource Allocation,” filed Oct. 8, 2011.    -   2. U.S. Utility patent application Ser. No. 13/408,986, entitled        “Social Device Resource Management,” filed Feb. 29, 2012, which        claims priority pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to the following        U.S. Provisional patent application which is hereby incorporated        herein by reference in its entirety and made part of the present        U.S. Utility patent application for all purposes: U.S.        Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/545,147, entitled        “Social Network Device Memberships and Resource Allocation,”        filed Oct. 8, 2011.    -   3. U.S. Utility patent application Ser. No. 13/351,822, entitled        “Ad Hoc Social Networking,” filed Jan. 17, 2012, pending, which        claims priority pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to the following        U.S. Provisional patent application which is hereby incorporated        herein by reference in its entirety and made part of the present        U.S. Utility patent application for all purposes: U.S.        Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/545,147, entitled        “Social Network Device Memberships and Resource Allocation,”        filed Oct. 8, 2011.

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

[Not Applicable]

MICROFICHE/COPYRIGHT REFERENCE

[Not Applicable]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to social networking, and moreparticularly to social network group access, interaction, communication,control, and related services and communications.

2. Related Art

The popularity and growth of social network sites and services hasincreased dramatically over the last few years. Present social networksites include Facebook, Google+, Twitter, MySpace, YouTube, LinkedIn,Flicker, Jaiku, MYUBO, Bebo and the like. Such social networking (SNET)sites are typically web-based and organized around user profiles and/orcollections of content accessible by members of the network. Membershipin such social networks is comprised of individuals, or groupings ofindividuals, who are generally represented by profile pages andpermitted to interact as determined by the social networking service.

In many popular social networks, especially profile-focused socialnetworks, activity centers on web pages or social spaces that enablemembers to view profiles, communicate and share activities, interests,opinions, status updates, audio/video content, etc., across networks ofcontacts. Social networking services might also allow members to trackcertain activities of other members of the social network, collaborate,locate and connect with existing friends, former acquaintances andcolleagues, and establish new connections with other members.

Individual members typically connect to social networking servicesthrough existing web-based platforms via a computing device, tablet orsmartphone. Members often share a common bond, social status, orgeographic or cultural connection with their respective contacts.Smartphone and games-based mobile social networking services areexamples of rapidly developing areas.

In so-called “cloud” computing, computing tasks are performed on remotecomputers/servers, which are typically accessed via Internetconnections. One benefit of cloud computing is that may reduce therelative processing and storage capabilities required by user devices(e.g., a cloud computer may load a webpage accessed by a tablet deviceand communicate only required information back to the tablet).Accordingly, recent years have witnessed an ever-growing amount ofcontent and application software being migrated from local or on-sitestorage to cloud-based data storage and management. Such softwarefunctionality/services and content are typically available on-demand via(virtualized) network infrastructures.

In so-called “cloud” computing, computing tasks are performed on remotecomputers/servers which are typically accessed via Internet connections.One benefit of cloud computing is that may reduce the relativeprocessing and storage capabilities required by user devices (e.g., acloud computer may load a webpage accessed by a tablet device andcommunicate only required information back to the tablet). Accordingly,recent years have witnessed an ever-growing amount of content andapplication software being migrated from local or on-site storage tocloud-based data storage and management. Such softwarefunctionality/services and content are typically available on-demand via(virtualized) network infrastructures.

Often, a visitor to a location, network, or the like is granted accessto a location, business network, and possibly to a social networkingenvironment, cloud applications, or cloud media content. Such grants areoften virtually unlimited in duration and scope. In addition, a socialgroup has a variety of mechanisms for establishing contact with anothermember, member device, or member device service, including, for example,telephone numbers, IP or other routing addresses, VoIP/video callhandles, twitter handles, other SNET handles, blogs, web page addresses,email addresses, etc. When a change to the above occurs, it may bedifficult to convey the information to all other members and memberdevices.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic block diagram of a social networkinggrouping hierarchy according to various embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic block diagram of representative viewsaccording to various embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 3 illustrates a schematic block diagram of a social networkinggrouping hierarchy according to various embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 4 illustrates a schematic block diagram according to variousembodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 5 illustrates a sequence diagram depicting travel social networkingaccording to various embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 6 illustrates a flowchart according to various embodiments of thedisclosure;

FIG. 7 illustrates a flowchart according to various embodiments of thedisclosure;

FIG. 8 illustrates a flowchart according to various embodiments of thedisclosure;

FIG. 9 illustrates an embodiment of a social networking environmentaccording to various embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 10 illustrates a social network infrastructure and social devicesin accordance with various embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 11 illustrates a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of asocial device according to various embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 12 illustrates a schematic block diagram illustrating access tosocial resources of a social network group/sub-group according tovarious embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 13 illustrates a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of asocial device/server incorporating communication and control protocolcapabilities according to various embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 14 illustrates social device membership and access in socialnetwork groups/sub-groups according to various embodiments of thedisclosure;

FIG. 15 illustrates remote access to social resources of a socialnetwork group/sub-group according to various embodiments of thedisclosure;

FIG. 16 illustrates a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of asocial device comprising integral resource access and allocationmanagement functionality according to various embodiments of thedisclosure; and

FIG. 17 illustrates a social device comprising integral functionalityoperable to support social network group/sub-group membership andcommunications according to various embodiments of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As used herein, the terms “social network”, “SNET”, “social networkingsystem”, “social networking infrastructure”, and the like, comprise agrouping or social structure of devices and/or individuals, as well asconnections, links and interdependencies between such devices and/orindividuals. Members or actors (including devices) within or affiliatedwith an SNET may be referred to herein as “members”, “users”,“membership”, “nodes”, “social devices”, “SNET members”, “SNETmembership”, “SNET devices”, “user devices” and/or “modules”. Inaddition, the terms “social circle”, “social group”, “SNET circle”,“SNET sub-circle”, “SNET group”, and “SNET sub-group” generally denotean SNET that comprises SNET devices and, as contextually appropriate,human SNET members, device SNET members, personal area networks (“PAN”),and the like.

Referring now to FIG. 1, a social networking (hereinafter “SNET”)grouping hierarchy 100 according to various embodiments is shown. Insome embodiments, a SNET grouping hierarchy 100 includes one or moretiers of SNET infrastructure, encompassed at least in part by an SNET,that can be docked to (hereinafter referred to interchangeably as“associated with”, “joined”, and the like) other SNET infrastructure,SNET groups, social devices, and the like. For example, in theillustrated embodiment, one tier of SNET grouping hierarchy 100 caninclude a service SNET infrastructure 101, and another tier of SNETgrouping hierarchy 100 can include one or more client SNETinfrastructures 103, 105, and 107. In some embodiments, various tierscan be docked such that a “higher” tier can be docked to “lower” tiersto provide access by “lower” tiers to various capabilities provided bythe “higher” tier.

In some embodiments, one or more infrastructures are managed by one ormore processing systems, computers, server devices, network nodes,social devices, some combination thereof, or the like. For example, inthe illustrated embodiment, some or all of the service SNETinfrastructure 101, one or more client SNET infrastructures 103, 105,and 107, some combination thereof, and the like, may be managed by oneor more social service support devices 111, one or more client socialdevices 131, 141, and 151, some combination thereof, or the like.Processing systems can include, without limitation, one or moreinstances of processing circuitry distributed across one or more serverdevices, network nodes, some combination thereof, or the like.

For example, in the illustrated embodiment, SNET grouping hierarchy 100includes a service SNET infrastructure 101 in a first tier, and multipleclient SNET infrastructures 103, 105, and 107 in a second tier.Infrastructures can include, without limitation, one or more SNETgroups, one or more services, applications, resources, devices, and thelike associated with one or more entities, which can include, withoutlimitation, clients, members of an SNET, nonmembers of an SNET, guestsof an SNET, some combination thereof, and the like. For example, serviceSNET infrastructure 101 can include, without limitation, user devices111, applications 113, and SNET groups 115, 117, and 119 associated withone or more services. A client SNET infrastructure 103 can include oneor more client SNET groups 135 and one or more social devices 131associated with one or more particular clients (hereinafter referred tointerchangeably as users, members, visitors, guests, and the like). Forexample, a first client-side infrastructure 103 can include one or moreSNET groups 135 associated with an SNET member, along with one or moresocial devices 131 associated with the SNET member. As shown in theillustrated embodiment, the social devices 131 in a clientinfrastructure 103 can be docked, associated, joined, and the like withSNET groups associated with the client. At least one process of dockingis discussed in further detail in at least U.S. Utility patentapplication Ser. No. 13/408,986, entitled “Social Device ResourceManagement,” (Attorney Docket No. BP23776), filed Feb. 29, 2012,incorporated by reference herein in full for all purposes. In someembodiments, a device, SNET group, or the like docked to another SNETgroup becomes a member of the SNET group to which it is docked. Bydocking a client social device 131 to a client SNET group 135, a userassociated with a client SNET group 135 can interact with the SNET group135 by interacting with a social device 131 docked to the SNET group135. Members, clients, users, and the like, as referred to herein, caninclude, without limitation, human members of an SNET or some othernetwork, device members of an SNET or some other network, somecombination thereof, and the like.

In some embodiments, one or more capabilities, which can include,without limitation, various services, applications, SNET groups, somecombination thereof, and the like are mixed, combined, merged, somecombination thereof, and the like, via a docking process, into one ormore SNET groups that can provide access to a desired selection ofcapabilities through interaction with the one or more SNET groups. Forexample, service SNET infrastructure 101 illustrates capabilities thatcan be provided by various service support social user devices 111,various social servicing applications 113, and the like. In someembodiments, access to various service support social user devices 111,either directly, through interaction with a SNET group 115 to which theservice support social user devices 111 are docked, and access tovarious social servicing applications 113, either directly, throughinteraction with a SNET group 119 docked to the social servicingapplications 113, or the like can be provided to SNET members. One ormore of the capabilities provided by the devices 111 and applications113, SNET groups 115 and 119 docked to the devices 111 and applications113, some combination thereof, or the like can be combined into a singleSNET group that can provide access to one or more capabilities providedby devices, services, applications, SNET groups, some combinationthereof, or the like.

For example, a user of a client SNET infrastructure 103 can, by dockinga social device 131, via a docking process 125, to a single SNET group117 that itself combines SNET groups 115 and 119, gain access to thecapabilities provided by both SNET groups 115 and 119 by docking withSNET group 117.

In some embodiments, access to capabilities provided by one or more SNETgroups, infrastructures, and the like can be accomplished by docking oneSNET group to another SNET group. For example, a client SNET group 135can be docked, via a docking process 125, to SNET group 117, therebyenabling a user of the client-side infrastructure 103 to access thecapabilities provided by SNET group 117 through the client SNET group135. In particular, where one or more social devices 131 are docked tothe client SNET group 135, a user can access the capabilities providedby SNET group 117 via one or more of the social devices 131 that aredocked with the client SNET group 135. A docking process 125 can includejoining client SNET group 135 as a member of SNET group 117, docking(also referred to herein as “associating”) client SNET group 135 to SNETgroup 117 via one of various processes described herein and in at leastU.S. Utility patent application Ser. No. 13/342,301, entitled “SocialNetwork Device memberships and Applications,” (Attorney Docket No.BP23771), filed Jan. 3, 2012, U.S. Utility patent application Ser. No.13/408,986, entitled “Social Device Resource Management,” (AttorneyDocket No. BP23776), filed Feb. 29, 2012, incorporated by referenceherein in full for all purposes, some combination thereof, or the like.

As an illustration of the above embodiment, a user entering premisesincluding, without limitation, a store, restaurant, hotel, business,public area, and the like may desire to access capabilities including,without limitation, services, applications, information, devices, somecombination thereof, and the like provided by an SNET group associatedwith the premises. Rather than individually dock each of the user'sdevices with the SNET group, the user can simply dock a personal SNETgroup, to which the user's devices are docked, with the SNET groupassociated with the premises, thereby granting the user access to thepremises' capabilities through some or all of the devices that the userhas docked with his personal SNET group. As a further example, a hotelmay provide various capabilities including, without limitation, accessto a call routing phone service, control of a particular televisiondevice, access to a database, some combination thereof, or the likethrough an SNET group. Rather than individually dock his personaldevices to the hotel's SNET group to utilize the capabilities provided,including, without limitation, docking a smartphone device to the hotelSNET group to utilize the call routing phone service, docking a computerdevice to the hotel SNET group to control the particular televisiondevice, or the like, the guest can simply dock his personal SNET groupto the hotel's SNET group and then access the capabilities providedthrough the hotel's SNET group through a device docked with his personalSNET group.

In some embodiments, docking SNET groups such that a user, member,client, or the like can access capabilities provided by variousservices, devices, SNET groups, and the like associated with variousSNET infrastructures enhances security. For example, where a userassociated with a first client SNET infrastructure 103 can only accesscapabilities provided by service SNET infrastructure 101 by docking withSNET group 117, various levels of security can be utilized by one ormore processing systems, devices, and the like associated with theservice SNET infrastructure 101, client SNET infrastructure 103, and thelike to ensure secure access to the capabilities. In addition, in someembodiments, accessing capabilities provided by an SNET infrastructureby docking two or more SNET groups provides additional levels ofsecurity. For example, where access to capabilities provided by serviceSNET infrastructure 101 entails docking a client SNET group 135, 145,155, or the like to SNET group 117, a more secure connection, withvarious levels of security, can be employed, and access to thecapabilities can be easily granted, altered, restricted, terminated, andthe like via management of a single dock, association, or the likebetween a client SNET group and SNET group 117. A processing system,device, or the like associated with the service SNET infrastructure 101,client SNET infrastructure 103, or the like can manage the associationbased upon inputs received from a user, a third-party entity, someinternal logic, elapse of a period of time, a change in geographiclocation of a client social device 131 associated with the client SNETinfrastructure 103, some other trigger event, some combination thereof,or the like.

In some embodiments, the selection and docking process 125 can beautomated, automatic, some combination thereof, or the like. Forexample, a docking process may be automatic by being triggered basedupon a location of a user of an infrastructure, including, withoutlimitation, a geographic proximity of one or more of a user, a socialdevice 131 associated with a user, a social device 131 docked with aparticular client SNET group 135, some combination thereof, or the like.In some embodiments, a user can provide one or more association rulesthat can provide conditions under which one or more particular clientSNET groups 135 can be docked to other SNET groups. Conditions caninclude, without limitation, geographic proximity of one or more socialdevices 131 docked to the particular client social 135 to a geographiclocation associated with an SNET group 117, authorization by a userassociated with the infrastructure 103, SNET group 135, social device131, some combination thereof, or the like to dock the client SNET group135 with SNET group 117, some combination thereof, or the like.Association rules can be communicated to a social device 131 docked witha particular SNET group 135, a processing system that manages docking ofvarious SNET groups, some combination thereof, or the like. One or moreof a processing system, a social device 131, some combination thereof,or the like can monitor a client SNET group 135, social device 131docked to the client SNET group 135, one or more attributes of anotherone or more SNET groups 117 in relation to one or more attributes of oneor more client SNET groups 135, docked social devices 131, somecombination thereof, or the like in relation to one or more associationrules in order to determine whether to dock one or more SNET groups,social devices, or the like together. Association rules can be alteredby a user, a processing system, some other entity, or the like, on thefly to create new rules, delete rules, alter rules, or the like. Forexample, a user associated with a client SNET group 135, who may havepreviously communicated to a processing system an association rule thatprohibits docking the client SNET group 135 to an SNET group 117 beyonda threshold geographic proximity to a social device 131, cancommunicate, on the fly, an alteration of the association rule that caninclude, without limitation, altering the threshold geographicproximity, authorizing a docking of the client SNET group 135 to aparticular SNET group 117 on a case-by-case basis, ordering an undockingof a client SNET group 135 from another SNET group, some combinationthereof, or the like.

In some embodiments, various tiers of a SNET grouping hierarchy 100 aresubject to various levels of access to information. For example, in theillustrated embodiment, a user of the “higher-tier” service SNETinfrastructure 101 may be able to view each client SNET group 135, 145,and 155 associated with a “lower-tier” client SNET infrastructure 103,105, and 107 that is docked to an SNET group 117 associated with thesocial service infrastructure 101. A user of the service SNETinfrastructure 101 may also be able to view the various social devices131, 141, and 151 docked to the various client SNET groups 135, 145, and155. In another example, one or more users of a “lower-tier”infrastructure including, without limitation, client SNET infrastructure103, 105, and 107 may be able to view some or all of the capabilitiesprovided through an SNET group associated with a “higher-tier”infrastructure to which an SNET group associated with the “lower-tier”infrastructure is docked, but cannot view some or all of the“higher-tier” infrastructure, including, without limitation, variousSNET groups 115 and 119 from which capabilities provided by SNET group117 are originally provided. Additionally, a user of a “lower-tier”infrastructure accessing an SNET group 117 associated with a“higher-tier” service SNET infrastructure 101 may be unable to view someor all of the other similarly “lower-tier” client SNET infrastructures105 and 107 that are also docked with the same SNET group 117.

In some embodiments, the selection and docking process 125 can becontrolled, managed, and the like by one or more various social devices,processing systems, or the like. For example, a processing system of aSNET infrastructure, which can include one or more instances ofprocessing circuitry distributed across one or more server devices,network nodes, some combination thereof, or the like, may control thedocking and undocking of one SNET group to another, based upon a user'sinteraction with the SNET, one or more association rules, one or moreinputs, some internal logic, some combination thereof, or the like. Asanother example, a social device may control the docking and undockingof one or more SNET groups based upon a user's interaction with theSNET, one or more association rules, one or more inputs, some internallogic, some combination thereof, or the like. In some embodiments, aprocessing system, social device, some combination thereof, or the likeauthorized to manage a “higher tier” infrastructure can manage one ormore attributes of access by one or more “lower-tier” infrastructuresdocked to the “higher-tier” infrastructure. For example, a processingsystem authorized to control a “higher-tier” social serviceinfrastructure 101 may alter access to certain capabilities, restrictaccess to certain capabilities, terminate access via undocking of SNETgroups and devices, some combination thereof, or the like based uponinput, or some other logic. The processing system may determine that atrigger event including, without limitation, all social devices 131docked with a client SNET group 135 docked to SNET group 117 haveexceeded a predetermined threshold geographic proximity distance from ageographic location associated with SNET group 117 and, based upon thedetermination, undock the client SNET group 135 from SNET group 117,partially or fully restrict access by client SNET group 135 to certaincapabilities provided by SNET group 117, some combination thereof, orthe like.

Referring now to FIG. 2, various representative views according tovarious embodiments are discussed. In some embodiments, a user, SNETmember, SNET nonmember, and the like associated with a firstinfrastructure that is docked with a second infrastructure, via one ormore docked SNET groups, social devices, some combination thereof, orthe like, can access capabilities provided by the second infrastructureby interacting with a representative view, which can be part of dataprovided by a processing system, some part of the second infrastructure,some part of the first infrastructure, a social device associated withthe first infrastructure, a second device associated with the user, somecombination thereof, or the like. For example, where a client SNET group135 of the first social client-side infrastructure 103, illustratedabove in FIG. 1, is docked with an SNET group 117 of the social serviceinfrastructure 101 that provides device access capabilities 111 and 113provided by SNET groups 115 and 119, a user may access capabilitiesprovided by SNET group 117 via interaction with a representative view201 that is part of data provided by one or more SNET systems, SNET,SNET infrastructure, SNET group, SNET device, some combination thereof,or the like. Where a client SNET group 135 is docked with one or moreclient social devices 131, a user may interact with some part of one ormore social devices 131 to access capabilities provided by SNET group117 via the client SNET group 135, directly via the social devices 131,some combination thereof, or the like.

In some embodiments, a representative view can provide a simplifiedrepresentation of the capabilities that can be accessed via a docking ofone or more SNET groups. For example, while SNET group 117 providescapabilities 111 and 113 by merging the SNET groups 115 and 119 thatprovide the capabilities 111 and 113, a representative view 201 providedto a member accessing SNET group 117 via a docked client SNET group 135,a social device 131 docked to a docked client SNET group 135, somecombination thereof, or the like, may display only the capabilitiesprovided by SNET group 117 with little or no indication of the truecomplexity of the groups 115 and 119 that are combined to enable SNETgroup 117 to provide capabilities 111 and 113. A member accessing thecapabilities 111 and 113 via a representative view 201 may access thecapabilities 111 and 113 by interacting with representations of thosecapabilities included in representative view 201 that is part of dataprovided by one or more SNETs, SNET systems, SNET infrastructures,processing systems, devices, SNET groups, some combination thereof, orthe like. Interaction with the representative view 201 can, in someembodiments, proceed via interaction with some part of a docked socialdevice 131 including, without limitation, a user interface, a part of adocked client SNET group 135, some combination thereof, or the like.

In some embodiments, one or more third-party SNET groups associated withseparate members, infrastructures, and the like are docked with a firstSNET group to enable members of the third-party SNET group to accesssome or all of information associated with the first SNET group,capabilities provided by a docked SNET group, some combination thereof,or the like. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, client SNETgroup 145 can be docked to client SNET group 135, thereby enablingclient SNET group 145 to access some or all of information provided tomembers of client SNET group 135, capabilities provided by SNET group117 that is docked to client SNET group 135, some combination thereof,or the like.

As an example of the above, a traveler may desire to dock a client SNETgroup 145 associated with his company to a personal client SNET group135 associated with his business travels. By docking the company'sclient SNET group 145, the traveler may enable members of the company'sclient SNET group 145 to view the traveler's whereabouts as they areprovided to members of his personal client SNET group 135, access atleast some of the capabilities provided to the traveler by docking withother SNET groups via the same or a similar representative view 201(e.g., access and manage his travel reservations, provide relevanttravel and business update information to the traveler on the fly,etc.), some combination thereof, and the like. Such dockings can bemanaged by the traveler's social device 131, by the social serviceinfrastructure 101 based upon input provided by the traveler, by one ormore other devices, some combination thereof, or the like. For example,the traveler may authorize only limited access by docked third-partySNET groups 145 to information associated with his personal client SNETgroup 135, limited access to capabilities provided by a docked SNETgroup 117, and the like, and the traveler may authorize accessrestrictions, undocking, some combination thereof, and the like basedupon on-the-fly input, one or more trigger events, or the like. Triggerevents can include, without limitation, a change in geographic locationassociated with one or more social devices 131 associated with thetraveler, a change in authorization information provided by an entity,or the like.

In some embodiments, distinct representative views can be provided whereseparate SNET groups, SNET devices, and the like associated with a“lower-tiered” infrastructure are docked to a “higher-tiered”infrastructure in an SNET grouping hierarchy. In the illustratedembodiment, for example, client SNET group 135 and client SNET group155, which are associated with a first social client-side infrastructure103 and an Nth social client-side infrastructure 105, respectively, areeach docked to SNET group 117 associated with social serviceinfrastructure 101. In the illustrated embodiment, a firstrepresentative view 201 is provided to a member accessing thecapabilities of SNET group 117 through the client SNET group 135, adocked social device 131, some combination thereof, or the like, and annth representative view 203 is provided to a member accessing thecapabilities of SNET group 117 through client SNET group 155, a dockedsocial device 151, some combination thereof, or the like. In someembodiments, representative views provided to separate docked SNETgroups are distinct, separate, or the like with respect to each other.For example, in an embodiment where SNET group 117 provides capabilitiesassociated with a hotel experience, including, without limitation,remote control of a television device, and docked client SNET groups135, 155, and the like are associated with separate hotel guests, thecapabilities provided via one or more separate representative views canbe distinct such that the hotel guest can access capabilities customizedto the guest including, without limitation, remote control of a specifictelevision device associated with a hotel room. Where the guest is notan SNET member, the guest can be invited to create a temporary SNETgroup, guest SNET group, an ad hoc SNET group, some combination thereof,or the like, and then dock the created SNET group to another SNET groupto access capabilities provided by the other SNET group.

Referring now to FIG. 3, some embodiments of an SNET grouping hierarchy300 can enable a client SNET group 135 to dock to an SNET group thatprovides capabilities from various infrastructures. In the illustratedembodiment, two infrastructures 301 and 303 are combined, docked,associated, or the like to provide capabilities from bothinfrastructures 301 and 301 through a single combined SNET group 337.The global social service infrastructure 301 includes capabilitiesprovided by social service support user devices 311, social servicingapps 313, and various SNET groups 315, 319, and 317 that provide somecombination of the capabilities provided by the infrastructure 301. Inaddition, the local/regional social service infrastructure 303 alsoincludes capabilities provided by social service support user devices321, social servicing apps 323, and various SNET groups 325, 329, and327 that provide some combination of the capabilities provided by theinfrastructure 303. The combined local/regional and global SNET group337 provides a combination of the capabilities provided by the socialservice support user devices 311 and 321 and the social servicing apps313 and 323 provided by both infrastructures 301 and 303. Where clientSNET group 135 can be docked with SNET group 337, a member of clientSNET group 135 will be able to access the capabilities provided by bothinfrastructures by docking a single client SNET group with a single SNETgroup 337.

In some embodiments, a representative view 305 provided to a member ofclient SNET group 135 accessing the capabilities provided by SNET group337 includes only the combined capabilities provided by bothinfrastructures 301 and 303 independently of some or all indications ofthe infrastructure from which some or all of the capabilities areoriginally provided. In the illustrated embodiment, for example, thecapabilities provided by the social service support user devices 331 and321 from both infrastructures 301 and 303 are presented in therepresentative view 305 as a combined set of social service support userdevices 331; likewise, the social servicing apps 313 and 323 from bothinfrastructures 301 and 303 are presented in the representative view 305as a combined set of social servicing apps 333. In addition, all of theSNET groups 315, 317, 319, 325, 327, and 329 in the infrastructures thatare partially or fully combined into SNET group 337 may be partially orfully transparent to a member accessing a representative view 305 of thecapabilities provided by SNET group 337. In some embodiments, a memberaccessing representative view 305 can restore the full complexity of thecombination of infrastructures 301 and 303 in representative view 305,such that the member can view the various SNET groups and capabilitiesspecific to various infrastructures and provided capabilities.

As an example of the illustrated embodiment, a hotel chain may provide aglobal SNET infrastructure 301 that provides capabilities common to allhotels in the franchise, such as a global media database, corporatecontact information, information databases, some combination thereof, orthe like. In addition, a certain local hotel may desire to have a localSNET infrastructure 303 that provides access to local entertainment,dining, news information, device access specific to the local hotel,some combination thereof, and the like. The hotel may desire to combinethe hotel chain's capabilities provided by the global SNETinfrastructure 301 with the location-specific capabilities provided bythe local SNET infrastructure into a combined SNET group 337, to enablea hotel guest to access global and local capabilities with a singledocking process and via a single representative 305 that provides globaland local capabilities partially or fully combined.

In some embodiments, combinations of capabilities provided by separateinfrastructures are managed, in part or in full, by one or moreprocessing systems, social devices, members, applications, somecombination thereof, or the like that are associated with one or moreinfrastructures. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, aprocessing system associated with the local SNET infrastructure 303 maymanage the combination of capabilities from infrastructures 301 and 303into SNET group 337, manage docking of client SNET groups 135 with theSNET group 337, some combination thereof, or the like.

In some embodiments, access to an SNET group 337 by a client SNET group135 can be granted, restricted, terminated, or the like by a networkmanager, processing system, social device, some combination thereof, orthe like, according to an input, a trigger event, some other internallogic, or the like. For example, when a social device docked with aclient social device 135 leaves a premises associated with an SNET group337, the client SNET group's 135 access to capabilities provided by SNETgroup 337 may be terminated by terminating or restricting access grantedby the docking, changing authorization to interact with some or allcapabilities provided by SNET group 337, undocking the client socialdevice 135 from SNET group 337, some combination thereof, or the like.This can occur automatically, in response to a trigger event, including,without limitation, elapse of a predetermined time after entering orleaving the premises, or the like. In some embodiments, a client SNETgroup 135 can maintain residual access to SNET group 337 after a devicedocked to the client SNET group 135 leaves the premises. For example,where the premises associated with SNET group 337 is a hotel, and amember associated with client SNET group 135 belongs to an exclusivehotel membership, the client SNET group 135 associated with the membermay, after a docked device leaves the premises, still receive at leastsome access to capabilities provided by SNET group 337, including,without limitation, a call routing phone service.

In some embodiments, an SNET group associated with a member, including ahuman, a device, or the like, can be docked to another SNET group toenable the member to access or receive services, contact information,other information associated with the SNET group, exchange information,some combination thereof, or the like. Such a member can be an existingmember of an SNET, a nonmember, also referred to herein as a thirdparty, or the like. For example, a human user with a device can approachwithin a threshold, such as a proximity, of an access point for apremises, or the like, upon which the access point, some other deviceassociated with the premises, or the like delivers an invitation to dockto an SNET group associated with the premises to the human user via thedevice, to the device itself, some combination thereof, or the like. Theinvitation can vary depending upon whether one or both the human userand the device are already members of the SNET, nonmembers, or the like.For example, where the device is not a social device, the access pointcan deliver an invitation in the form of a web page to the device via abrowser application, or the like, that offers the device, human user,some combination thereof, or the like the option of joining an SNETgroup as an ad hoc member. Where the device is a social device, theinvitation can include a direct invitation to dock an SNET group withthe premises-associated SNET group via a social interface, userinterface, or the like, located on the device.

The invitation can be accepted via one of various acceptance processes.For example, where a social device receives an invitation that includesa unique identifier uniquely identifying the SNET group to which themember is invited to dock an SNET group, social device, or the like, thesocial device can interact with an access point, another device, anSNET, SNET group, SNET sub-group, and the like via an independentpathway, or the like to utilize the unique identifier to accept theinvitation. Acceptance in the above example may include simplydelivering the unique identifier and information identifying the SNETgroup associated with delivery of the unique identifier, upon which theSNET group is docked to the premises-associated SNET group. In addition,where a non-social device attempts to access an access point, and theaccess point pushes a web page to a browser application on thenon-social device, the acceptance process can include accessing the webpage, indicating a desire to dock with the SNET group, providing someother information, or the like, such that the non-social device, an adhoc guest SNET group, some combination thereof, or the like is acceptedas docked to the premises-associated SNET group.

Upon accepting the invitation, the member, human user, device, somecombination thereof, or the like can gain at least some access tocapabilities provided by the premises-associated SNET group. Forexample, where the premises is a coffee shop, a member whose personalSNET group is docked to a premises-associated SNET group may gainaccess, via one or more devices docked to his personal SNET group, tovarious services including, without limitation, online newspapers,videos, a menu for item sales, shopping options for home delivery,ordering interface for on-site delivery, other information, somecombination thereof, or the like. In another example, where the premisesis a hotel, private residence, or the like, a member whose personal SNETgroup is docked to a premises-based SNET group may gain access, via oneor more devices docked to his personal SNET group, to services,information, and the like including, without limitation, access tolocally or remotely-stored content items, contact information, access tocontrol functional elements of on-site devices, some combinationthereof, or the like. In another example, where the premises is ashopping mall, an access point may deliver, push, or the like aninvitation to the device, user of the device, some combination thereof,or the like to dock to an SNET group associated with the mall. Theaccess point may require that a device, user, or the like attempt toaccess the access point before the invitation is delivered to thedevice, user, or the like in the form of a unique identifier, web page,or the like. Services associated with the SNET group can include,without limitation, advertising, sales and coupon information, and thelike provided by computing devices of each store within the mall, a mallmapping service that show those docked to the SNET group the locationsof particular stores, a mall music service that provides those docked tothe SNET group with music or other media content served by media sourcesassociated with the SNET group, telephone directory services, a searchengine relating to anything within any store in the mall, somecombination thereof, or the like.

In some embodiments, an access point supports delivery of invitations todock to an SNET group, processing acceptances of invitations, routingcommunications between members, ad hoc members, and potential members ofan SNET group and the SNET, SNET group, or the like. A device may needto attempt to access the access point to receive an invitation providedby the access point. In some embodiments, the access point automaticallyprovides the invitation to any device that the access point determineshas crossed a threshold, such as a predetermined proximity to apremises, location, or the like. Those docked to the SNET group,including ad hoc members, SNET groups, ad hoc SNET groups, somecombination thereof, or the like, may be able to couple with otherdevices, users, members, or the like that are also docked with the SNETgroup. Upon crossing another or the same threshold, docking to the SNETgroup can be terminated or restricted. For example, where a device thatenters a premises is offered an ad hoc docking to an SNET group by anaccess point, the access point may restrict, terminate, or the like thead hoc docking upon determining that the device has left the premises.

FIG. 4 illustrates interactions between various SNET system,infrastructures, groups, devices, and the like according to variousembodiments. In the illustrated embodiment, an SNET infrastructure 402which can be included in an SNET, SNET system, SNET infrastructure, somecombination thereof, or the like, can include one or more various SNETgroups, social devices, some combination thereof, or the like. Forexample, infrastructure 402 can represent an SNET infrastructureassociated with an SNET, SNET group, processing system, SNET account,SNET member, human, device, social device, some combination thereof, orthe like.

In some embodiments, various SNET groups are created by an SNETinfrastructure based upon on an input from a user, member, processingsystem, device, SNET, SNET group, some combination thereof, or the like.For example, where SNET infrastructure 402 is associated with an SNETmember account, a member of the account may provide input to the SNETinfrastructure 402 to create SNET group 404. The input can include,without limitation, attributes of the group 404, social devices to bedocked with the group 404, information to be accessible to one or moremembers of group 404, some combination thereof, or the like.

In some embodiments, an SNET group in an SNET infrastructure is dockedwith another SNET group. For example, in the illustrated embodiment,SNET group 404 is docked with SNET group 412 and SNET group 414 viadocking links 407 and 409, respectively. Docking one SNET group toanother SNET group can be accomplished via one or more various dockingprocesses including, without limitation, sole initiation of docking byone or more devices, SNET groups, or the like.

In some embodiments, a docking process can include interactions betweenat least some of both a first SNET group and a second SNET group. Forexample, where SNET group 412 is to be docked to SNET group 404 viadocking link 407, SNET group 412 and SNET group 404 may exchangesecurity information processing, and the like with reference to one ormore members, docked devices, functional elements, accessibleinformation, some combination thereof, or the like between the two SNETgroups. Such exchanges can enable additional security verifications ofappropriate interactions and access between the two SNET groups, theirrespective members, and the like. In some embodiments, additionalsecurity processes, such as human confirmation requirements, areemployed to ensure secure access to capabilities of one or more dockedSNET groups, devices, members, and the like.

In some embodiments, a docking process can include various actionsperformed by one or more of an SNET, SNET system, SNET infrastructure,processing system, SNET group, social device, user, member, somecombination thereof, or the like that can include, without limitation,verifying an optimal docking location, arranging a presentation ofdocking links to a user, member, or the like. For example, where a userassociated with SNET infrastructure 402 interacts with SNETinfrastructure 402 to dock SNET group 420 to some part of SNETinfrastructure 424 to access various capabilities of SNET groupsincluded in SNET infrastructure 424, a docking process to associate,dock, or the like SNET group 420 with another SNET group in SNETinfrastructure 424 can include, without limitation, determining anoptimal docking configuration between SNET group 420 and one or morevarious SNET groups in SNET infrastructure 424 to enable access by amember of SNET group 420 to certain one or more capabilities of SNETinfrastructure 424. As shown in the illustrated embodiment, SNET group420 can be docked with both SNET group 432, via docking link 446, andSNET group 434, via docking link 444, as part of a single dockingprocess to associate SNET group 420 with certain capabilities providedby various SNET groups in SNET infrastructure 424, where the optimumdocking configuration is determined to include, without limitation,docking SNET group to both SNET group 432 and SNET group 434 to accessthe capabilities. The docking links 446 and 444 can be governed by asingle docking specification 442, some other combination of dockingspecifications that are part of SNET infrastructure 424, somecombination thereof, or the like. In some embodiments, docking links anddocking specifications can be docked, associated, or the like inone-to-one type relationships, one-to-many type relationships,many-to-one type relationships, some combination thereof, or the like.

In some embodiments, a docking process that associates SNET group 420with certain capabilities of SNET infrastructure 424 via docking withboth SNET group 432 and SNET group 434 may include arranging apresentation of the docking links so that a member accessing thecapabilities does not see a full complexity of the docking links,interactions, and the like between various SNET groups, devices, SNETinfrastructures, and the like. In the illustrated embodiment, forexample, a docking process for docking SNET group 420 with SNET groups432 and 434 may include arranging a presentation, representative view,or the like of the capabilities of SNET group 424 that can be accessedby a member of SNET group 420 to hide the fact that SNET group 420 isdocked, via two docking links, to two SNET groups. A simplifiedpresentation, representative view, or the like, may present only a viewof SNET group 420 being docked with certain capabilities of SNETinfrastructure 424. In some embodiments, a member can adjust, toggle, orotherwise manipulate the complexity of the presentation, representativeview, or the like such that a partial or full view of the complexity ofthe docking links, interactions, and the like between the SNETinfrastructures, SNET groups, social devices, and the like is presentedto a member.

In some embodiments, establishing multiple docking links can provideadditional security for access to certain capabilities. For example,where a docking link between SNET group 420 and SNET group 432 providesa docking link 446 with a higher-security link to a certain capabilitythan a docking link 444 to SNET group 444, an indirect link to SNETgroup 432 via docking links 444 and 437, some combination thereof, orthe like, the docking process may include establishing a docking link446 to provide a more secure link to a certain capability that a linkused to access another capability. In some embodiments, establishingmultiple docking links can provide more efficient access tocapabilities, services, and the like than a single docking link. Forexample, where a docking process includes a determination that a dockinglink to both SNET group 432 and SNET group 434 can enable a moreefficient access to certain capabilities of SNET infrastructure 424 thana single docking link, a docking process can include, withoutlimitation, establishing multiple docking links 446 and 444 to SNETgroups of SNET infrastructure 424.

In some embodiments, a docking link between various SNET groups, socialdevices, and the like is managed based on various dockingspecifications. A docking specification can, in some embodiments, manageone or more particular docking links and set forth, for example and notby way of limitation, access limitations, restrictions, grants, and thelike associated with various capabilities of an SNET group, securityaccess requirements, periods of access, trigger events upon which accessis to be altered, restricted, granted, terminated, or the like. Forexample, as shown in the illustrated embodiment, SNET group 404 includesdocking specifications 406 and 408. Docking specification 406 can, insome embodiments, govern the docking link 407 between SNET group 404 andSNET group 412. Docking specification 408 can, in some embodiments,govern the docking link 409 between SNET group 404 and SNET group 414. Adocking specification can be predetermined, in part or in full, by amember of SNET group 404 in advance of a docking, created on the fly aspart of a docking process to dock SNET group 404 to another SNET group,provided by the SNET infrastructure, an SNET group that attempts to dockwith SNET group 404, some combination thereof, or the like. For example,a member of SNET group 404 may establish docking specification 406 thatrestricts access by members of SNET group 412 to capabilities providedby SNET group 404 based upon a later trigger event including, withoutlimitation, elapse of a period of time. In some embodiments, a dockingspecification is specific to certain attributes of other SNET groups anddevices, such that the SNET group 404 is docked to various SNET groupswith correlating attributes. For example, Docking specification 406 maydictate that SNET group 404 is to be docked, via docking link 407, to anSNET group 412 that is associated with a geographic location that iswithin a predetermined threshold proximity to a geographic locationassociated with SNET group 404, and that the docking link 407 is to berestricted, terminated, or the like if the geographic locationassociated with SNET group 412 ever exceeds the proximity threshold.

In some embodiments, some or all of a docking specification can beadjusted, managed, altered, created, deleted, or the like based upon aninput from a user, member, SNET system, SNET infrastructure, dockeddevice, docked SNET group, some combination thereof, or the like. Forexample, a member of SNET group 404 may establish docking specification406 to govern docking link 407 with SNET group 412 to restrict access bya member of SNET group 412 to certain capabilities of SNET group 404,and then interact with SNET group 404, SNET infrastructure 402, somecombination thereof, or the like, to alter docking specification 406 toprovide greater access by a member of SNET group 412 to capabilitiesprovided by SNET group 404. Such management of a docking specificationcan be performed at any time, on the fly, in an ad hoc process, or thelike with regard to an existing docking link, a docking specificationgoverning potential docking links, some combination thereof, or thelike.

In some embodiments, a docking specification governing a docking linkbetween a “higher-tier” SNET group and a “lower-tier” SNET group is partof the higher-tiered SNET group. For example, in the illustratedembodiment, where SNET group 404 is a higher-tiered SNET group and SNETgroups 412 and 414 are lower-tiered SNET groups, the docking links 407and 409 between the lower-tiered SNET groups 412 and 414 and thehigher-tiered SNET group 404 are governed by docking specifications 406and 408 that are part of the higher-tiered SNET group 404, therebyenabling control by a higher-tiered SNET group over docking links withlower-tiered SNET groups.

In some embodiments, a docking specification can be tailored by a user,member, SNET system, SNET infrastructure, SNET group, social device,some combination thereof, or the like to provide various levels ofinteraction and access between various docked SNET groups. For example,in the illustrated embodiment, docking specification 406 may dictatethat docking link 407 provides full bi-directional interactions, sharingof information, services, and the like between SNET groups 404 and 412that are docked via docking link 407. In another example, dockingspecification 408 may dictate that docking link 409 provides a one-waygroup-to-group service access between SNET group 404 and SNET group 414via docking link 409, such that a member of SNET group 414 can access atleast some services provided by capabilities of SNET group 404, but amember of SNET group 404 cannot access some or all information,services, devices, or the like associated with SNET group 414. Forexample, where a hotel guest's SNET group is docked with a hotel's SNETgroup to grant the hotel guest access to hotel service capabilities viathe hotel's SNET group, a docking specification governing the dockinglink between the hotel guest's SNET group and the hotel's SNET group mayspecify that the hotel guest is restricted from accessing certaincapabilities of the hotel's SNET group, while the hotel's SNET group isrestricted from accessing any of the capabilities of the hotel guest'sSNET group including, without limitation, access to devices docked tothe hotel guest's SNET group. As discussed above, such access andinteraction aspects of a docking specification can, in some embodiments,be altered at any time by various users, members, SNET groups, SNETinfrastructures, and the like.

In some embodiments, a docking specification places certain restrictionson capabilities of an SNET group that are provided, offered, or the liketo members of docked SNET groups. For example, docking specification 406may dictate that only certain capabilities of SNET group 404 are to beprovided to a member of SNET group 412 via docking link 407. Dockingspecification 406 may also dictate that each member of SNET group 412 beprovided with a distinct access to a distinct one or more capabilitiesof SNET group 404. For example, docking specification 406 may dictatethat each member of SNET group 412 be provided a unique access to one ormore capabilities of SNET group 404.

In some embodiments, a docking link between various SNET groups enablesaccess by additional SNET groups to capabilities provided by SNET groupsto which additional SNET groups are indirectly associated, docked, orthe like. For example, in the illustrated embodiments, where SNET group404 is docked to SNET group 414 via docking link 409, SNET group 414 isdocked to SNET group 420 via docking link 418. Docking link 418 isgoverned by docking specification 416 in SNET group 414. In someembodiments, a member of SNET group 420 may be granted access to atleast some capabilities of SNET group 404 to which a member of SNETgroup 414 is granted access. Access to capabilities of SNET group 404 bya member of SNET group 420 can be determined by various dockingspecifications including, without limitation, docking specification 416that governs the docking link 418 between SNET group 414 and SNET group420, and docking specification 408 that governs the docking link 409between SNET group 404 and SNET group 414. For example, dockingspecification 408 may grant access by a member of SNET group 414 tocertain capabilities of SNET group 404 via docking link 409 by restrictaccess to capabilities of SNET group 404 by a SNET group that is dockedto SNET group 414. In another example, docking specification 416 mayspecify that a member of SNET group 420 may access none, some, all, orthe like of the capabilities of other SNET groups including, withoutlimitation, SNET group 404 to which SNET group 414 is docked.

In some embodiments, various SNET groups can be docked to each other,such that some or all of the docked SNET groups gain access or some orall of the capabilities of the other docked SNET groups. In theillustrated embodiment, for example, SNET infrastructure 424 includesSNET group 426, which is docked, via docking link 429 governed bydocking specification 428, to SNET group 432 and is also docked, viadocking link 431 governed by docking specification 430, to SNET group434. In addition, SNET group 434 is docked, via docking link 437governed by docking specification 436, to SNET group 432; as a result,SNET groups 426, 432, and 434 are each docked to each other. The dockinglinks between the SNET groups 426, 432, and 434 can provide variouslevels of access including, without limitation, various levels ofsecurity. In addition, in some embodiments, docking to one of the SNETgroups in SNET infrastructure 424 can grant access to some or all of thecapabilities of some or all of the SNET groups to which the one of theSNET groups is docked.

For example, in the illustrated embodiment, SNET group 404 can be dockedto SNET group 426 via docking link 439. Communication flowing throughthe docking link 439 can be subject to various docking specificationsdepending on the origin and destination of the communication flow. Forexample, for media content originating from the SNET Group 404 via groupmember devices, storage or services associated directly with the SNETGroup 404, or the like, a docking specification 438 can govern anyattempted access via a docking link 439 to such media content. Suchaccess can include, without limitation, receipt of media content,delivery of media content, identifying media content, informationassociated with the media content, some combination thereof, or thelike. For example, where a foreign SNET group, including, withoutlimitation, an SNET group associated with a separate SNETinfrastructure, docks to an SNET Group 404 that includes a first,second, and third media content originating from the SNET Group 404 viagroup member devices, storage or services associated directly with theSNET Group 404, or the like, the docking specification 438 may specifythat: 1) the first media content is not to be identified to at least theforeign SNET group as existing, 2) the second media content can beidentified to at least the foreign SNET group as existing but requires ahigh level of DRM and is offered at a reduced quality; 3) the thirdmedia can be identified to at least the foreign SNET group as existingand is offered in its original form without redistribution andconsumption restrictions; some combination thereof, or the like. Thedocking specification 438 may also limit access by the SNET Group 404,allow application of the same or further restrictions already placed onthe SNET Group 426, SNET group 404, some combination thereof, or thelike. Likewise, docking specification limitations placed on data ormedia content originating from the SNET Group 414 may permit chainedaccess by the SNET Group 426, 432, 434, some combination thereof, or thelike via a one or more of SNET group 404, SNET group 420, somecombination thereof, or the like.

In addition to various docking specification limitations applying tolocal group offerings, various docking specification limitations mayalso apply to chained offerings. For example, the SNET Group 414 mayfreely provide access by any other SNET group, via a direct docking linkto SNET group 414, via an indirect link via a docking link to an SNETgroup that is docked to SNET group 414, some combination thereof, or thelike, to all offerings including, without limitation, services, content,data, access to docked devices, some combination thereof, or the like.Such freely-provided access can be defined, in some embodiments, via thedocking specification 416. However, the docking specification 438 mayplace restrictions on access via SNET group 404 including, withoutlimitation, not permitting any access, knowledge of, or the like withregard to some or all offerings from any external SNET group to whichSNET group 404 is docked including, without limitation, SNET Groups 414,412, and 420. In this way, depending on the docking linkage and chainedSNET groups and device specifications, offerings may be managed invarious ways depending on underlying needs. In some embodiments, suchlinkages and chain management of overall offerings apply twice: one foreach direction of access. For example, offering restrictions associatedwith the SNET infrastructure 402 can be completely different from thoseof the SNET infrastructure 424. In addition, even though all relevantdocking specifications within the SNET infrastructure 402 may permit atleast limited access to a particular offering to the SNET Group 426,such access may not extend to, for example, the SNET Group 432 due to:a) the docking specification 428 placing further access restrictionsbeyond those required by the SNET infrastructure 402, b) a relevantdocking specification within the SNET infrastructure 402 may limitforeign linkages, some combination thereof, or the like.

For example, in an ad hoc travel network docking configuration, apersonal SNET group construct of a traveler (e.g., the SNETinfrastructure 402) might desire to provide very limited access to ahotel's SNET group construct (e.g., the SNET infrastructure 424), whilein the other direction the hotel's SNET group construct offerings may befreely provided. Each construct need only provide access to whateverofferings, membership identification, information, and the like thatthey would like to expose. A traveler may choose to expose, for example,a) a payment service element located somewhere within the overallpersonal SNET group construct, b) the traveler's social smartphone'sincoming message service; c) an administrator's incoming messageservice; d) a travel document storage service; some combination thereof,or the like, while the hotel may choose to expose capabilities,offerings, and the like including, without limitation, 1) a regionaldirectory, a map and other information services; 2) a concierge service;3) a billing service; 4) a reservation service; 5) networked officeequipment; some combination thereof, or the like. Exposure in eithercase can be defined, for example, via various docking specificationsassociated with the originating SNET group as modified by the dockingspecifications associated with the SNET groups in the chain pathway tothe destination.

In some embodiments, docking specifications can be extended to provideresolution beyond that of a group level. For example, the dockingspecification 428 governing docking link 429 may require humanidentification and various levels of security before providing access,including even offering identification, via docking link 429. In anotherexample, as defined by the docking specification 428, a traveler, whichcan be a member of the SNET Group 404, may gain access to a particularoffering provided by one element, service or device participant in theSNET Group 426 via a required secure interaction with the traveler'slocal social smart phone docked to SNET group 404, but some or all othermembers of SNET group 404, other SNET groups, or the like may not gainaccess to the particular offering. In other words, for one or moreparticular SNET group offerings, capabilities, offering identifiers, andthe like, and for one or more particular group members, membershipinformation, and the like, particular chained docking specificationdetails can be established to manage overall access, including, withoutlimitation, limited access. So, although shown functionally as beingdistributed, being associated with each link, and the like, chaineddocking specification flow can be managed by a single user interface,and may be stored in a single database construct.

In some embodiments, default docking specifications can apply a defaulttreatment of offerings, access, interactions, or the like with regard toone or more particular SNET groups, but permit specific offeringmodifications, other access modifications, some combination thereof, orthe like where needed by authorized members, devices, SNET systems, SNETgroups, SNET infrastructures, some combination thereof, or the like.Likewise, overall default treatment can be modified, as well.

In some embodiments, a docking specification can be part of one or moreSNET groups, SNET infrastructures, social device, some other entity,some combination thereof, or the like. For example, where a dockingprocess to dock SNET group 404 to SNET group 426 is initiated by adevice docked to SNET group 404, docking specification 438 may be a partof SNET group 404. In addition, where a docking process to dock SNETgroup 404 to SNET group 426 includes some part of SNET infrastructure424 receiving and granting a docking request from some part of SNETinfrastructure 402, docking specification 438 may be a part of SNETgroup 426. In some embodiments, a docking request can include, withoutlimitation, a request to dock one SNET group to another SNET group, arequest to provide a first SNET group's capabilities, including withoutlimitation services, access to devices, applications, and the like, toone or more devices docked to a second SNET group. A docking request canoriginate from a device docked to the first SNET group, a device dockedto the second SNET group, a member of the first SNET group, a member ofthe first SNET group, a third-party, some combination thereof, or thelike.

By docking to SNET group 426, SNET group 404 may access some or all ofthe capabilities of SNET group 432 and SNET group 434, as specified byone or more of docking specifications 438, 428, 430, and the like;conversely, where SNET group 404 docks with SNET group 434, SNET group404 may access some or all of the capabilities of SNET group 426 andSNET group 434, as specified by one or more of docking specifications438 and 436.

In some embodiments, docking various SNET groups with various SNETgroups in various SNET infrastructures can include various accessrestrictions and limitations. For example, where SNET group 404 isdocked to SNET group 414, which is docked to SNET group 420, all withinSNET infrastructure 402, various levels of interaction and access by thevarious SNET groups can be determined via management of the variousdocking specifications 408 and 416 governing the docking links. Allthree docked SNET groups 404, 414, and 420 can be enabled to have accessto some or all of each other's capabilities, SNE group 414 may haveaccess to capabilities of SNET group 404 while SNET group has access tocapabilities of SNET group 414, SNET groups 404 and 414 may have accessto each other's capabilities while SNET group 420 has access to some ofthe capabilities of SNET group 404 and some of the capabilities of SNETgroup 414, some combination thereof, or the like. Such interactions,access, dockings, and the like may be performed without any interactionwith a third-party entity, third-party SNET group, or the like.

In some embodiments, where a third-party entity, third-party SNET group,or the like is involved in a docking link, additional interaction withthird-party entity, third-party SNET group, or the like is required. Forexample, where SNET group 404 is to be docked to SNET group 426, wherethe respective SNET groups are part of separate SNET infrastructuresassociated with separate users, members, or the like, docking, access,or the like may require interaction with a third-party. Interaction mayinclude, without limitation, a security challenge, acceptance,invitation, or the like to a member of SNET group 404 attempting toaccess a capabilities of SNET group 426. In some embodiments, a dockingprocess between SNET groups associated with separate SNETinfrastructures, users, members, or the like can be initiated, managed,or the like by various devices, processing systems, SNET systems, SNETinfrastructures, or the like. For example, a docking between SNET group404 and SNET group 426 may be initiated, managed, or the like by one ormore devices docked to SNET group 404, one or more devices docked toSNET group 426, one or more devices docked to a third-party SNET group,one or more processing systems, one or more SNET infrastructures, somecombination thereof, or the like.

In some embodiments, a SNET “travel” group facilitates and/or monitorstravel activities, activities associated with an aspect of a socialdevice, an aspect associated with the social device, an SNET groupassociated with a member, some combination thereof, or the like. Anactivity can include one or more events, which can include triggerevents, the occurrence of which can influence at least one aspect of theSNET group, including, without limitation, membership, informationaccess, some combination thereof, or the like. The SNET travel group canbe docked to SNET groups comprising entities relevant to one or moreactivities including, without limitation, travel companions, familymembers, friends and people to be visited, restaurants; coupon/rebateservices; etc. A member of an SNET travel group (which can be temporaryor persistent) can receive, without limitation, detailed hotelinformation (including confirmations, rates, feedback, amenities,restaurant recommendations, nearby attractions, etc.), an attendee listfor a social event/excursion, babysitter monitoring services, somecombination thereof, and the like. In some embodiments, one or moreelements associated with the SNET travel group can be managed by one ormore processing systems, server devices, network nodes, remote devices,social devices, or the like in response to one or more trigger events,inputs from one or more SNET group members, inputs from one or more SNETgroup nonmembers, input from one or more devices, some combinationthereof, or the like.

FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment of a social networking environment thatadapts to trigger events, triggers, or the like. Some embodiments ofSNET groups can respond to externally-applied or internally-appliedtrigger events, such as completions of certain events, changes inlocation, elapses of time, some combination thereof, and the like. Theillustrated embodiment, shown in FIG. 5, is an SNET group that isdesigned to be used during travel, such that the SNET travel group 500responds to completions of certain travel events, changes in location,and upcoming events by adding, removing, or otherwise modifying theinformation, access, and members of the SNET group. The illustratedembodiment also illustrates the changes that the SNET travel groupundergoes as a trip progresses. The illustrated embodiment shows a SNETtravel group for a short business trip that involves departing andreturn flights, a stay in a hotel at the destination, and a meeting withsome various partners at the destination.

As shown in state 540, at the beginning of the trip, the SNET travelgroup 500 includes two docked entities, a social group 502 associatedwith the traveler's wife and a social device 504 associated with theindividuals with whom the traveler is to meet at the destination. Insome embodiments, members of the SNET travel group 500 can include anSNET account dedicated to the SNET travel group 500 members, such thatany social device associated with the member is a part of the SNETtravel group 500. In addition to the docked entities 502 and 504, theSNET travel group at state 540 includes the traveler's flightitineraries 506 and 510 for his departure and return flights, as well asinformation 508 related to his hotel reservation. All of the abovememberships and information can be added to, altered, and removed fromthe SNET travel group manually by the traveler or some other entity, bya travel agency or device, by a member of a docked group 502, by a userof a docked device 504, or some other internal logic of a social device,SNET, or the like.

As shown by line 512, after the traveler completes his departure flightand arrives at his destination, his SNET travel group 500 adapts tostate 550. The adaptation can be partially or fully implemented bymanual input from the traveler to the SNET travel group 500,automatically by a social device associated with the traveler, aprocessing system, infrastructure, or the like to which the traveler hasprovided one or more authorizations, association rules, or the like thatset conditions under which SNET groups, social devices, and the likehaving various attributes are to be docked, granted more or less access,and undocked as desired, based upon one or more trigger events asdetermined by one or more social devices, processing systems, somecombination thereof, or the like. As the departure flight is completed,the SNET travel group 500 removes the departure flight itinerary 506from the information associated with the SNET travel group 500, as thatevent has been completed. In addition, in response to the change inlocation, SNET travel group 500 can dock to an SNET group 514 associatedwith the traveler's hotel reservation 508, and dock to one or morepotential taxi cabs' social devices 515 in accommodation, anticipation,or the like of the traveler's likely needs.

As shown by line 516, upon completion of the traveler's meeting and hispreparation for his return flight, SNET travel group 500 has adapted tostate 560, in response to the completion of his meeting and his checkingout of his hotel. As the traveler checks out of his hotel, the hotel'sSNET group 514 and the taxi cab social devices 515 are undocked from theSNET travel group 500, while the hotel reservation information 508 isremoved from the SNET travel group 500. Also, the meeting partners'devices 504 are undocked from the SNET travel group 500, as the meetingis complete, and they no longer have interest in the traveler's trip.The only remaining items included in, or docked to, SNET travel group500 are the traveler's upcoming return flight itinerary 510 and thesocial group 502 associated with the traveler's wife.

In some embodiments, as a traveler's trip progresses, adding, altering,and removing certain information, docking to, altering access for, andundocking from certain devices and groups enables the traveler tointeract with information and entities that are most relevant to thecurrent and upcoming likely trip events, such as reaching a newdestination, preparing for an event, finding landmarks, restaurants,lodging, and the like.

In accordance with various embodiments, various techniques (such astechniques described elsewhere herein) can be employed to determine theexistence and location of SNET infrastructures, SNET groups, SNETsub-groups, docked social devices, some combination thereof, or thelike. Such location information can be utilized in a variety of waysincluding, but not limited to, those described below. For example, SNETlocation services could utilize one or more of the following standards:GPS, LTE eNB, (IP) address, NFC (Near Field Communication), Bluetooth,WiFi, infrared, etc., and, of course, account metadata. Cloud-basedstorage can be utilized for various information, including location(e.g., GPS), to extend social network functionalities (for example,automatic SNET grouping/introductions, automatic servicing/selection ofperipheral devices, etc.). Location-based groups might also be formedfor travel, tracking, invites (and timeouts), etc. Location data, aswell as other factors, can also be used, in some embodiments, to selectonline gaming competition/teams. For example, IP address selection canbe conducted in a DNS-like manner for a relevant domain name. Inoperation, a SNET/SNET group of game players or the like can be formedbased on location factors, SNET/SNET group attributes, networkattributes, some combination thereof, or the like.

In some embodiments, an SNET group member can dock an SNET group,including, without limitation, a SNET travel group 500 to one or moreSNET infrastructures, SNET groups, or the like, to engage in gaming andgambling actions. For example, a traveler entering a casino, arcade, orthe like may add a gambling credit account to his SNET travel group andutilize the account to interact with and play various gambling andgaming activities. In some other embodiments, an SNET member canestablish a game over a network by adding a social gaming device to anSNET group. Also, SNET members can be, in some embodiments, added to oneor more SNET groups dedicating to gaming activities based upon certaininformation associated with the SNET member, such as device connectionspeed, device capabilities, gaming score, or the like.

FIG. 6 is a logic diagram of an embodiment of a method for allocatingsocial resources in accordance with various embodiments. In an initialstep 600, some part of an SNET infrastructure including, withoutlimitation, one or more SNET members, processing systems, socialdevices, network nodes, some combination thereof, or the likeestablishes an SNET account that identifies associated SNET groups andsocial resources, which can include one or more capabilities provided byone or more devices, applications, services, SNET groups, somecombination thereof, or the like. Next, or contemporaneously, in step602 one or more social resources, SNET groups, and the like are “docked”(e.g., online, through near-field communications (NFC) coupling, or vianetworked operations) to the SNET account. Such docking may involvesecurity and authentication operations 604. In some embodiments, suchdocking can include establishment of a merged SNET group thatincorporates docked SNET groups, social resources, and the like.

The method continues in step 606 with the creation of one or more SNETgroups or (sub)groups (e.g., a merged SNET group) including the dockedSNET groups and a selection of the social devices, applications,services, other social resources, some combination thereof, or the likehaving related or specific characteristics and interdependencies, etc.In one embodiment, the SNET groups and social resources may be dockedthrough a drag-and-drop user interface or other means. In step 608,access tiers and views are manually or automatically defined for selectpersonal information, SNET group information, social resourceinformation, social device information, and other affiliated resources.This step may be conducted in whole or part by means of a (pop-up) tableor form that requests tier settings and allows for personal tailoring ofsame. The some part of an SNET infrastructure may select a particularSNET group, social device, SNET member (device or human or self)associated with one or more SNET groups and SNET devices, to reveal tiercharacteristics and allow modification of access rights. In somecircumstances, selection of access rights may be based on profile dataand other characteristics of a particular device, user or group seekingaccess to social resources. Further, distinct access rights, includingcontent and capabilities access views, may be assigned to differentsocial device resources or groupings of resources, or to a particularrequest for access to social resources.

In step 610, access tier/view characteristics are communicated toauthorized merged SNET group members, which may include social devices(including the member's social devices), human members, a SNET or one ormore SNET groups. Next, in step 612, social resources are allocated inaccordance with the access tiers and views communicated in step 610.Allocation of a social device resource may entail, for example,allocating the resource for dedicated use by a member of a docked SNETgroup, either on a persistent or temporary basis, subject toreallocation. Subsequent reallocation may occur, for example, if accessto a previously allocated social device resource is requested by amember (or non-member) of a second SNET group having a higher priorityor superior access rights to the resource. In some embodiments, socialresources may be dynamically offered and allocated if/when and to theextent such resources become available. Management of social resourcereserves, including termination of related services, may be performed byindividual devices, groupings of devices, and/or centralized ordistributed SNET processing circuitry, including, without limitation,one or more processing systems, and software.

FIG. 7 is a logic diagram of an embodiment of a method 700 forestablishing tiered views of and access to social resources of a firstsocial device SNET group in accordance with various embodiments. First,the availability of a social resource for access by SNET groups/devicesis determined in step 702. A social resource can include, withoutlimitation, one or more capabilities provided by one or more SNETgroups, SNET infrastructure, some combination thereof, and the like.Next, access rights and access views including, without limitation, oneor more representative views for the social resource are established instep 704. Such access rights and access views may provide for variouslevels of access having varying degrees of granularity as contextuallyappropriate and as determined by one or more SNET nodes, processingsystems, devices, some combination thereof, or the like having controlof the social resource, or as determined by an authorized entityrequesting access to the social resource.

Established levels of access rights are then applied to permit access toand allocation of the social resource in step 706. If conflicting,modified or additional requests for access are identified in step 708,reallocation and/or arbitration is performed in step 710 as necessary toaddress conflicts or otherwise service such requests. In one embodimentwherein a particular SNET group, social device, user associated with oneor more SNET group or social device, some combination thereof, or thelike requires or requests a relatively large percentage of availableresources, access may be denied or restricted, including on a temporaryor persistent basis. Alternatively, other capable and available socialresources may be employed to resolve such requests. Potential overuse orabusive use of an SNET resource may be detected by SNET monitoringfunctionality including, without limitation, one or more processingsystems, devices, network nodes, some combination thereof, or the likethat employs static or dynamic thresholds.

Referring now to FIG. 8, a logic diagram of an embodiment of a method800 for controlling operation of an SNET group in accordance withvarious embodiments is shown. Upon activating or docking a socialdevice, first SNET group, SNET sub-group, a social device docked to thefirst SNET group, or the like to a second SNET group, an SNETinfrastructure, one or more processing systems, devices, and the likeassociated with an SNET infrastructure, or the like, account informationis automatically (or via a setup-up prompt) provided to the socialdevice, first SNET group, SNET sub-group, a social device docked to thefirst SNET group, or the like. Next, in step 802, operational control ofa social resource associated with the second SNET group, an SNETinfrastructure, one or more processing systems, devices, and the likeassociated with an SNET infrastructure, or the like group, which caninclude, without limitation, a service, device access, application,social resource, some combination thereof, or the like is conferred to anode of the social device, first SNET group, SNET sub-group, a socialdevice docked to the first SNET group, or the like. This node thengenerates contextually appropriate control signals as shown in step 804.

In step 806, the control signals and contextually-related applicationsare communicated to the second SNET group, an SNET infrastructure, oneor more processing systems, devices, and the like associated with anSNET infrastructure, or the like (via a standardized communicationprotocol). In response to the control signals, the second SNET group, anSNET infrastructure, one or more processing systems, devices, or thelike associated with an SNET infrastructure, or the like performs one ormore functions, either automatically or as authorized by a user, in step808. In subsequent step 810, control of the second SNET group, an SNETinfrastructure, one or more processing systems, devices, and the likeassociated with an SNET infrastructure, or the like is terminated orrelinquished to a user, processing system, device, some other entity,some other SNET node, some combination thereof, or the like.

In certain embodiments, some SNET groups may support only one memberinteraction at a time, with or without simultaneously supporting theunderlying owner/member. Other SNET groups may support many multiplemembers (devices/humans) accessing capabilities provided by the SNETgroups, as well as having dedicated functionality reserved for an owner.A standardized or manufacturer proprietary approach to control andcertification marking may account for such variations in SNET groupcapabilities. Monitoring and snooping of content (e.g., for purposes ofprotecting copyright owners) and like functionality could also beaccomplished through compliance with a standardized protocol.

Referring now to FIG. 9, a social network circle/group 900 (hereinafter“Social networking group”, “social networking circle”, “SNET circle”,“SNET group”, or the like) comprising social devices with 902 is shown.Beyond traditional social networking features and services, an SNETgroup 900 and associated social devices 902 according to variousembodiments include numerous novel features and attributes as describedmore fully below with general reference to the illustration.

Briefly, membership in the SNET group 900 may comprise docked socialdevices 902 with resources that are accessible to other members of theSNET group 900 and human SNET group members 904, as well as proxiesthereof. Further, SNET group 900 nodes may include device services andsoftware (e.g., applications) of various types participating as members.By way of example, SNET group members might include artificialintelligence agents/social robots 906, SNET security device(s) 908,appliances, vehicles and service providers 910, common or authorizedmembers/functionality of other SNET groups 912, etc. Further, access tospecific content and resources of a SNET group 900 may be shared withmembers of additional SNET(s) 914, including remote or web-basedapplications. Such access can be conditioned on acceptable profiling andassociation data. Similarly, social devices, SNET groups, individuals,or the like may be granted temporary or ad hoc memberships, with orwithout restricted access.

In the illustrated embodiment, formation, maintenance and operation ofSNET group 900 is performed by one or more SNET processing systems andsoftware 916. A processing system can include, without limitation, oneor more instances of standalone SNET processing circuitry, one or moreinstances of distributed SNET processing circuitry located on one ormore devices, social devices, server devices, network nodes, and thelike. It is noted that the “SNET processing circuitry” may comprisehardware, software, applications, or various combinations thereof, andbe configurable to support various functionalities disclosed herein.Further, the SNET processing system 916 may be included in a standaloneserver, server farm, cloud-based resources, and/or the various types ofdevices described below, and incorporate authentication and securityfunctionality 918. In addition, specialized middleware may also beutilized by SNETs according to various embodiments, includingstandardized middleware (or standardized communication protocols) withan associated certification process. Interactions and interdependencieswithin the SNET group 900 may involve one or more of an adaptiveresource management, allocation and arbitration module 920, a socialdevice association/control module 922, and a SNET group member profilingmodule 924 as described more fully below.

Distribution of internal and external SNET content/media 926 can beaccomplished in a variety of ways in accordance with variousembodiments. For example, media distribution may involve an adaptive orparallel network routing infrastructure involving a wide variety ofcommunication protocols and wired and/or wireless communicationschannels. SNET content/media 926 may comprise, for example, varioususer-driven (advertising) channels, pictures, videos, links, onlinetext, etc. Access to such content, as well as communications with andremote access to social devices 902 of the SNET group 900, may occurover an Internet backbone 928, cellular communication system, WAN, LAN,etc.

A member of a SNET in accordance with various embodiments such as thosedisclosed herein may establish permissions and/or privacy settings thatcontrol and restrict who or what may access the member's profile(s)information, connections and groups, as well as define desired degreesof access. Permissions may enable the user to maintain certaininformation as private or available on a permissive basis only. Forexample, visibility of specified user information may be limited tousers/devices in a SNET(s). Alternatively, specified user informationmay be publicly available. Likewise, a SNET member may selectivelydecide to permit others to access personal information such as name,gender, contact information/email address, etc.

FIG. 10 is a functional block diagram illustrating a social network(SNET) infrastructure 1000 and (member) social device(s) 1001 inaccordance with various embodiments. Communications between the socialnetwork infrastructure 1000 social device(s) 1001 and other SNET membersmay occur over one or more wired and wireless communication networks1003. The SNET infrastructure 1000 and social device(s) 1000 are coupledto the communication networks 1003 by communication interface(s) 1031and 1011, respectively, either of which may support communications withindividual SNET members, groups of SNET members, or classes of SNETmembers.

The SNET infrastructure 1001 of the illustrated embodiment includes anumber of functions and resources to support formation and maintenanceof a SNET having social device members. In particular, member reportmanagement and processing 1033 receives information fromSNET/group/member reporting functions 1013 in associated social devices1000. Such information may include, for example, status data 1015regarding the location, address and activities of a social device 1000and/or device user.

In addition, the social device 1000 may provide device information 1016indicating, for example, device functions and social capabilities,device model number(s), device configurations, software versions,attached peripherals and downstream (social) devices, device resourcesand usage, etc. Device information 1016 relating to available resourcesand current resource usage may be utilized by the SNET infrastructure1001 for purposes of SNET resource management, including dynamicresource allocation and arbitration.

In various embodiments, the social device 1000 may have an obligation togather, store and/or report device status/information 1015/1016 atdifferent times. For example, reporting may be required upon affiliationor docking with a SNET, on a periodic basis, and/or during operationalengagements with other intra- and inter-SNET resources and devices(including upstream and downstream devices).

Referring again to the SNET infrastructure 1001, additionalfunctionality and resources include, without limitation: SNET memberinformation capture and storage management 1034; a SNET applicationprogramming interface (API) 1035 that allows SNET associated softwarecomponents to communicate with each other; access control management andsecurity 1037 for maintaining the integrity of the SNET and affiliateddata/resources; and (Web) server services 1038. The social networkinfrastructure 1001 further comprises other group application services1005 corresponding to the foregoing, as well as additional services suchas those described herein. In one exemplary embodiment, the SNETinfrastructure 1001 might determine (e.g., by means of deviceinformation 1016) the category and nature of a social device 1000wishing to participate in a SNET. As necessary, functionality in theSNET infrastructure 1001 could then direct or trigger installation ofappropriate application software and underlying drivers in the socialdevice 1000. Such operations might be performed with minimal involvementfrom inherent functions of the social device 1000.

In the illustrated embodiment, the social device 1000 comprises a numberof additional social device resources 1018 (including, for example, thesocial resources described in conjunction with FIGS. 11 and 13, as wellas device status/information 1015/1016) and functions and resources tosupport participation in a social network. More particularly, SNET, SNETand/or member control functions 1017 may include slave functions 1019,master functions 1020, and various combinations thereof. Slave functions1019 include, for example, device (re)configuration, directed resourceallocation, managed resource arbitration, bridging operations, etc.Master functions 1020 enable the social device 1000 to establish,manage, and terminate various interactions between nodes or groups ofnodes in a social network, including interactions involving the socialdevice 1000 itself.

The social device 1000 further includes a social API 1021 andbrowser-based interaction capabilities 1025 to support, for example,relevant social applications and services 1023 (which might compriseslave and master functions 1019 and 1020). Access control (includingaccess views provided to other SNET group members) and security 1027layers permit the social device 1000 to interface with or establishsecure SNET groups/circles and control access to internal and externalSNET resources as described more fully below.

It is noted that numerous of the functional building blocks of theembodiment illustrated by FIG. 10 may be incorporated, in whole or part,in one or more (application specific) integrated circuit devices. Forexample, an integrated circuit device may comprise a member reportingmodule to provide member reporting functionality (includingcommunication of device status and device characteristics), devicecontrol capabilities, master/slave functions, security and accesscontrol modules, etc. Such an integrated circuit device may also includeonboard processing capabilities and/or interface with a processordevice. Alternatively, several of the functions described above may beincorporated, in whole or part, into an operating system and/or softwareloaded above an operating system kernel.

Referring now to FIG. 11, a schematic block diagram is shown for asocial device 1101 operable to support various resource accessinteractions with other social devices and social systems in accordancewith various embodiments. The social device 1101 is configured with avariety of functions that enable it to operate in a social device“hierarchy” comprising social (S) devices, social “parent” (SP) devicesand social “child” (SC) devices. For example, a social parent device mayenable a docked social child device to access resources of the parentdevice and/or connect to and interact with (directly or indirectly) witha social network. The social child device may be configured withinherent social capabilities, or gain access to such capabilities fromor through an associated parent device. Further, a human SNET membermight have associated social child devices, or be served by a socialparent device via a user I/O interface (1123).

A social device 1101 according to various embodiments and applicationsmay also concurrently or selectively function as a social device, SPdevice, SC device, or even a “grandparent” device that supports (e.g.,in a multi-hop environment) a parent device in a SNET group. Dynamic andstatic hierarchical associations between SP and SC devices may beestablished in a selective, automatic or automated manner. Further, asocial device 1101 may take many forms including, without limitation, asmartphone, personal computer, server, tablet device, access point,gateway, network switch/hub, bridging device, set top box, or otherdevice enabled with social capabilities.

In the illustrated embodiment, the social device 1101 is communicativelycoupled to a SNET infrastructure 1109 and/or social parent system 1111via upstream social communication interface circuitry 1107. Likewise,downstream social peer and/or child communication interface circuitry1113 enables coupling with a social child device 1115, social peerdevice 1117 and/or social parent system (device) 1119. Social resourcesof both upstream and downstream devices may be accessible to one anothervia the social device 1101.

The social device 1101 of this embodiment includes social resources 1103that, along with external SNET resources, are managed by a socialresource management module 1105 and accessible to at least one otherSNET group member. Specific social resources 1103 may include user I/Ointerfaces 1123, general purpose and dedicated hardware processingcircuitry 1124, peripheral circuitry and components 1125 (which may ormay not have social capabilities), communication bandwidth and creditdetermination functionality 1126, switching/bridging functions 1127,application software and services 1128, remote social resources 1129 ofthe SNET group, external social resources 1131 controlled by the socialdevice 1101, etc. The external social resources 1131 may comprise, forexample, an external media/digital library, or content from one or moreof cable, satellite and/or terrestrial televisions systems.

Among other functions, the social resource management module 1105comprises access, allocation, arbitration and scheduling functionality1121, as well as the functionality for establishing, regaining andrelinquishing control processing operations 1122, including operationsinvolving access to social resources 1103. It is noted that counterpartsocial resource management functionality may be present in the SNETinfrastructure 1109 and/or other SNET nodes.

In one exemplary embodiment wherein the social device 1101 comprises aswitching bridge, bandwidth capacity may be dynamically allocated byaccess, allocation, arbitration, and scheduling functionality 1121.Access to bandwidth capacity and other resources of the social device1101 might be available only upon request, per access views, or perallocation and arbitration functions, and selectively terminated whenexcessive bandwidth/resources are consumed or requested.

FIG. 12 is a schematic block diagram illustrating access to socialresources of a SNET group 1206 in accordance with various embodiments.In some embodiments, a member of a social network group (“SNET group”)controls different access levels to both personal information (which maybe included in a user profile) and associated device profiles andcapabilities. Such access rights allow the member to establishselective, restricted and/or tiered access rights and views—for othermembers of the social/group as well as nonmembers—to all or some of themember's social devices and resources.

In the illustrated embodiment, a member or device of a SNET group1204/1206 (or, alternatively, an unaffiliated entity) accesses socialdevice/group resources 1210 associated with the SNET group 1206 via aresource management node 1200. The resource management node 1200comprises access rights 1201, access views 1202, dynamic (re)allocationfunctionality 1203, arbitration functionality 1204, and securityfunctionality 1205.

In operation, the access rights 1201 and access views 1202 controldiffering access levels and access visibility for a member's personalinformation, device information, data, processing and storagecapabilities, and other social resources. Access rights 1201 and accessviews 1202 can be predefined, for example, based on a SNET group, basedon co-member devices, or based on member's own device to deviceinteractions. Such predefinition can be tailored dynamically as neededor as relationships change. Access rights 1201 may also be expanded tosupport temporary interaction with a guest member or visitor device. Forexample, a visiting member with a smart phone may be permitted toreceive/provide media to a social device residing in a “home group.”

In some embodiments, a member of the SNET group 1206 can adjust andmodify access rights 1201 on an information-by-information basis,device-by-device basis, member-by-member basis, etc. Through accessviews 1202, the member might also present itself in various waysdepending on context, location, or use-based considerations. Forexample, a member icon/avatar may present differing characteristics orcapabilities that are context dependent, including work, home or socialsettings. Allocation and, as necessary, dynamic reallocation of socialresources is performed by dynamic (re)allocation functionality 1203 andarbitration functionality 1204. Access to social resources can bepreconditioned on secure access/authentication performed by securityfunctionality 1205.

In addition to social device/group resources 1210, the SNET group 1206might include, for example, a SNET server 1212 and one or more members1214 and affiliated social devices, services, applications, files, webpages, connections and other social resources. As will be appreciated, amember 1214, which can include, without limitation, a human member,device member, and the like, can establish selective or tiered access topersonal information and associated social device profiles and otherresources as described above. In certain embodiments, the resourcemanagement node 1200 may be incorporated in the SNET server 1212 orother SNET social device, or administered by a SNET hostinginfrastructure, in a standalone manner, distributed manner, or the like.Further, the SNET server 1212 may include a firewall operable to providesecure access and perform basic routing functions.

Access to social device/circle resources 1210 by nodes of the SNET group1213 may occur in a variety of ways, including via a user interface (UI)1218 utilized by one or more humans 1216. The UI 1218 might comprise agraphical user interface (GUI) or browser that graphically indicatesavailable resources, voice controls, gesture commands, etc. Access tothe SNET group 1206 can also be managed by a proxy server 1220. Theproxy server 1220 functions as an intermediary for access requests fromproxy clients 1222—including social devices connected to the proxyserver 1220 via the Internet or other IP-based networks—seeking tocommunicate with the SNET group 1206. Social devices 1224 affiliatedwith a SNET 1213 may have the capacity to interact directly with theSNET group 1206. It is noted that the human members 1216, proxy server1214 and social devices 1224 may operate independently of a SNETgroup/sub-group. Further, the proxy server 1214 may be a distributed orcloud-based entity, or a member of (or incorporated in a member of)either the SNET group/sub-group 1213 or SNET group 1206.

FIG. 13 is a schematic block diagram of a social device/server 1300utilizing a communication and control protocol 1302 that enables variousSNET resource and control operations in accordance with variousembodiments. In the illustrated embodiment, the communication andcontrol protocol 1302 comprises protocol configuration 1304, SNETresource (automated) control features 1306, device type/functionspecific controls 1308, security and authentication features 1310, SNETdocking/membership control 1312, and a SNET transport/network layer1314. Various packetization and encapsulation techniques may be utilizedfor communicating and receiving control signals and data.

In one embodiment, the social device/server 1300 includes a shim layeror client driver 1316 that enables communications with a central SNETmanagement node, SNET infrastructure, one or more processing systems,SNET members and other compatible devices, including social devices thatmay not fully support a SNET group communication protocol, somecombination thereof, or the like. The shim layer or client driver 1316may be installed through a SNET node or local storage, or downloadedfrom a manufacturer website or cloud-based resource. Such installationmay occur automatically upon power up or activation of the socialdevice/server 1300 or as directed by other SNET nodes.

Management of and access to SNET resources utilizing the communicationand control protocol 1302 may be performed by a central management nodeof a SNET group or SNET hosting infrastructure. The central managementnode may include integrated artificial intelligence and/or presentitself through a “persona” or “avatar”. In addition, distributed anddelegated control mechanisms, including ad hoc or remote operations thatspan one or more SNETs, permit one member to interact with their own oranother member's social devices via an SNET or SNET defined pathways.

In some embodiments, a standardized version of communication and controlprotocol 1302—referred to herein as a “SNET 1.0” standard for sake ofbrevity—is employed to facilitate such SNET interactions (and possiblyobviate the need for a shim layer in compliant social devices havingdefined device type characteristics). Various control operationsaccording to an SNET 1.0 standard may include automated and ad hoc SNETgroup association, as well as support functions such as automated SNETresource offerings, automated device registration and configuration,upgrade and update maintenance, device-to-device communication sessionmanagement, tunneling/encapsulation functions, proxy services, socialresource allocation, etc. For example, through docking of an affiliatedsocial device in a SNET group, a member may desire to access and controltheir own remote docked devices, as well as remote docked devices ofother members, either directly or via a further user device. In someembodiments, such interaction may be facilitated through a SNET 1.0compliant approach.

SNET 1.0 compliant devices may be designated as “SNET 1.0 Certified”,for example, and provide both system-on-a-chip (“SoC”)/hardware andsoftware support peculiar to a particular device family. By way ofexample, a SNET 1.0 Certified NAS might have storage related, definedcontrol capabilities that include default access tier definitions asdescribed herein, security and DRM features, etc. Such controlcapabilities differ from, for example, a SNET 1.0 Certified STB (whichmight have multiple tuners/pipelines for delivering streaming video withcertain tuners/pipelines reserved for the device owner according to asetup procedure). Social devices may be configured, manually or throughfactory-staged settings and security, to delegate membership control toa SNET (1.0) group/server for further applications such as thosedescribed below.

FIG. 14 illustrates various embodiments of social device membership andaccessibility in social network groups/sub-groups in accordance withvarious embodiments of the disclosure. In some embodiments, membershipin a SNET group 1410 may be extended to encompass public and privatesocial devices and equipment. For example, in a SNET group 1410 thatincludes human members 1406/1408, each human member may have arespective personal SNET sub-group 1400(a)/1400(b) of associated ordocked social devices 1406/1408 capable of independent or aggregatedparticipation in the SNET group 1410. The SNET sub-group may be locallyor remotely accessible by a human member 1406/1408 and/or other SNETgroup/sub-group members through various means, such as clicking on anicon or tag associated with the human member/personal sub-group.

Although SNET sub-groups 1400(a) and 1400(b) are illustrated as separatesub-groups, such sub-groups may instead comprise a single SNET group orsub-group, or any number of additional SNET groups, SNET sub-groups, orthe like, each of which may include various combinations of socialdevices 1402/1404. Further, SNET processing circuitry and software 1412of the illustrated embodiment manages formation and operation of theSNET group 1410. The SNET processing circuitry and software 1412 may beincorporated in a standalone server, social devices, and/or cloud-basedresources. The SNET group 1410 may be persistent or of limited duration,and include ad hoc and/or static associations.

Social devices 1402/1404 may be broadly categorized as (i) socialdevices 1402 that include a user or SNET group interface sufficient toprovide meaningful input to SNET interaction, (ii) social devices 1404that support minimal or no user input relevant to SNET interaction, somecombination thereof, or the like. More particularly and withoutlimitation, the first category may include computers, tablet devices,IPTVs, IPTV set top boxes, smart phones, servers, laptops, cloudbooks,network attached storage devices, gaming consoles, mediaplayers/sources, communication nodes (access points, routers, switches,gateways, etc.), user interface devices, power line communication (PLC)devices, etc. Such social devices may receive user input for SNET setupand management. The second category may include, again withoutlimitation, printers, projectors, cameras and camcorders, scanners,speakers, headsets, smoke detectors, alarm systems, video cameras, mice,etc. In general, dockable social devices include any electronic devicethat could be operably coupled to or docked in a SNET group/sub-groupvia wired or wireless pathways to participate as a SNET member.

As will be appreciated, by docking social devices, members of a SNETgroup 1410 may gain full or partial remote control and interaction suchdevices via an authorized member SNET account. For example, familymembers authorized to participate in a “family” SNET group may remotelyaccess docked social devices via one or more associated SNET accounts.Various embodiments for docking and accessing social devices aredescribed more fully below, e.g., in conjunction with FIGS. 15 and 16.

FIG. 15 is a schematic block diagram illustrating remote access tosocial resources of a social network group/sub-group in accordance withvarious embodiments. In the illustrated embodiment, a social device 1500may indicate a desire to associate, dock, access social device resourcesand other group resources 1518, or otherwise communicate with a (secure)SNET group/sub-group 1502. The social device 1500 device can beautonomous and independent or, alternatively, a participant in a secondSNET group 1504 or other network serviced by the SNET gateway 1506.

In one embodiment, either the SNET gateway 1506 or SNET group gateway1508 functions as a proxy for the social device 1500. Proxyfunctionality within the SNET gateway 1506 may be provided by a softwareapplication or a computer system (server) that functions as anintermediary for requests from clients (including connected socialdevices) seeking resources from other servers or gateways such as SNETgateway 1508. Such resources might include files, services, web pages,connections, profiling information and other available social deviceresources and other group resources 1518.

The SNET gateway 1506 may evaluate requests from social devicesaccording to various filtering rules. For example, the SNET gateway 1506might filter traffic by IP address or protocol. Once a request from thesocial device 1500 validated (if necessary), the SNET gateway 1506connects to the SNET group gateway 1508 over a WLAN/LAN or othercommunication path and requests access to resources of the SNETgroup/sub-group 1502 on behalf of the social device 1500.

Membership in the SNET group/sub-group 1502 is established through adocking module 1510 of SNET processing circuitry and software 1512,which may support one or more device discovery and configurationprotocols, including standardized protocols. When group membership isrestricted, a local or cloud-based registrar 1514 can be employed toprovide authentication. The registrar 1514 of the illustrated embodimentmay utilize an administrator, or a directory service 1516 such as aLightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP)-based directory server thatstores attribute data. LDAP is a well-known application protocol forquerying and modifying items in directory service. When docking with anIP-based SNET group, a social device may broadcast profile data to thelocal domain using a textual data format such as Extensible MarkupLanguage (XML).

FIG. 16 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a socialdevice(s) 1600 comprising integral social resource access and allocationmanagement functionality in accordance with various embodiments. Thesocial device 1600 may operate as a member, guest member, and/or andauthorized visitor of the SNET. Access to and allocation of socialresources 1602 of the social device 1600 is controlled by (predefined oruser-defined) access and allocation management functionality 1604,operation of which may apply to intra- and inter-SNET membership nodes,as well as interactions between the social resources 1602 andnon-affiliated entities. Further, access and allocation managementfunctionality 1604 may be distributed between one or more socialdevices/SNET hosting infrastructures.

The access and allocation management functionality 1604 comprises accessrights 1606, access control functions 1608, arbitration and dynamic(re)allocation 1610, and access view control 1612. Exemplary operationof such functions is described in conjunction with various other Figuresherein. Servicing of requests for access to social resources 1602 may becarried out, for example, via a browser and/or downloaded orpreinstalled applications 1614. In certain embodiments, access to socialresources 1602 is conditioned upon authentication or security operations1616. In addition, various functional blocks of the social device 1600may be incorporated into one or more integrated circuit devices, whichmay be dedicated to support a primary user and/or shared accessoperations.

FIG. 17 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a social device1700 comprising integral functionality operable to support socialnetwork group/sub-group membership and communications in accordance withvarious embodiments of the disclosure. In the illustrated embodiment, acommunication interface and transceiver circuitry 1702 is operable toperform wired or wireless communications between the social device 1700and a SNET/SNET group/SNET sub-group 1726 over one or more communicationchannels. Depending on the capabilities and configuration of the socialdevice 1700, communications with a SNET may be unilateral orbidirectional/interactive, and utilize either a proprietary orstandardized communication protocol. Communications may include, forexample, device profile information, user and SNET group profileinformation, control signals, media content, interactions with hostedservice data, user data, relayed information, etc.

The social device 1700 further includes processing circuitry 1704operable to process and manage communications, services and associationsbetween the device and other entities including members of a SNET/SNETgroup/SNET sub-group 1724, third parties, software agents, etc. Moreparticularly, the processing circuitry 1704 may include, for example, asoftware management application 1712 comprising one or more of dockinglogic 1714 (including support for device discovery and configurationprotocols such as described below), communication protocol control 1716,resource management 1718, and security/authentication 1720functionality.

The social device 1700 further may utilize profile information and otherresources, that may take many forms and be maintained in static ordynamic memory 1724. Such profile information enables a social deviceand/or user 1701 to present an image of itself and its capabilities toother members of a SNET. In particular, device/group profile informationand other resources 1706 and user profile information 1708 may beutilized in various ways in accordance with various embodiments tofacilitate a variety of social interactions. Depending on thecapabilities and requirements of a particular device (and other membersof a SNET), a device or user profile may be static or dynamic.

In certain embodiments, the social device 1700 may interact with auser(s) 1701 via user interface circuitry 1710. User input to the socialdevice 1700 may include, for example, data entry through a keypad,touchscreen, remote control device, gaming controller, device controlbuttons, voice or gesture commands, storage device, etc. Authorizedaccess to or control of the social device 1700 can be facilitatedthrough unique biometric identifiers, passwords, token-basedidentification, trusted authorities or documents such as a driver'slicense or passport, and like authentication means.

The social device 1700 may perform core or underlying functionality1720. Alternatively, the social device may primarily function as asocial networking interface or communication device, or be programmableto perform specific functions within a SNET group/sub-group.

As may be used herein, the terms “substantially” and “approximately”provides an industry-accepted tolerance for its corresponding termand/or relativity between items. Such an industry-accepted toleranceranges from less than one percent to fifty percent and corresponds to,but is not limited to, component values, integrated circuit processvariations, temperature variations, rise and fall times, and/or thermalnoise. Such relativity between items ranges from a difference of a fewpercent to magnitude differences. As may also be used herein, theterm(s) “operably coupled to”, “coupled to”, and/or “coupling” includesdirect coupling between items and/or indirect coupling between items viaan intervening item (e.g., an item includes, but is not limited to, acomponent, an element, a circuit, and/or a module) where, for indirectcoupling, the intervening item does not modify the information of asignal but may adjust its current level, voltage level, and/or powerlevel. As may further be used herein, inferred coupling (i.e., where oneelement is coupled to another element by inference) includes direct andindirect coupling between two items in the same manner as “coupled to”.As may even further be used herein, the term “operable to” or “operablycoupled to” indicates that an item includes one or more of powerconnections, input(s), output(s), etc., to perform, when activated, oneor more its corresponding functions and may further include inferredcoupling to one or more other items. As may still further be usedherein, the term “associated with”, includes direct and/or indirectcoupling of separate items and/or one item being embedded within anotheritem. As may be used herein, the term “compares favorably”, indicatesthat a comparison between two or more items, signals, etc., provides adesired relationship. For example, when the desired relationship is thatsignal 1 has a greater magnitude than signal 2, a favorable comparisonmay be achieved when the magnitude of signal 1 is greater than that ofsignal 2 or when the magnitude of signal 2 is less than that of signal1.

As may also be used herein, the terms “processing module”, “module”,“processing circuit”, and/or “processing unit” may be a singleprocessing device or a plurality of processing devices. Such aprocessing device may be a microprocessor, micro-controller, digitalsignal processor, microcomputer, central processing unit, fieldprogrammable gate array, programmable logic device, state machine, logiccircuitry, analog circuitry, digital circuitry, and/or any device thatmanipulates signals (analog and/or digital) based on hard coding of thecircuitry and/or operational instructions. The processing module,module, processing circuit, and/or processing unit may have anassociated memory and/or an integrated memory element, which may be asingle memory device, a plurality of memory devices, and/or embeddedcircuitry of the processing module, module, processing circuit, and/orprocessing unit. Such a memory device may be a read-only memory, randomaccess memory, volatile memory, non-volatile memory, static memory,dynamic memory, flash memory, cache memory, and/or any device thatstores digital information. Note that if the processing module, module,processing circuit, and/or processing unit includes more than oneprocessing device, the processing devices may be centrally located(e.g., directly coupled together via a wired and/or wireless busstructure) or may be distributedly located (e.g., cloud computing viaindirect coupling via a local area network and/or a wide area network).Further note that if the processing module, module, processing circuit,and/or processing unit implements one or more of its functions via astate machine, analog circuitry, digital circuitry, and/or logiccircuitry, the memory and/or memory element storing the correspondingoperational instructions may be embedded within, or external to, thecircuitry comprising the state machine, analog circuitry, digitalcircuitry, and/or logic circuitry. Still further note that, the memoryelement may store, and the processing module, module, processingcircuit, and/or processing unit executes, hard coded and/or operationalinstructions corresponding to at least some of the steps and/orfunctions illustrated in one or more of the Figures. Such a memorydevice or memory element can be included in an article of manufacture.

The present invention has been described above with the aid of methodsteps illustrating the performance of specified functions andrelationships thereof. The boundaries and sequence of these functionalbuilding blocks and method steps have been arbitrarily defined hereinfor convenience of description. Alternate boundaries and sequences canbe defined so long as the specified functions and relationships areappropriately performed. Any such alternate boundaries or sequences arethus within the scope and spirit of the claimed invention. Further, theboundaries of these functional building blocks have been arbitrarilydefined for convenience of description. Alternate boundaries could bedefined as long as the certain significant functions are appropriatelyperformed. Similarly, flow diagram blocks may also have been arbitrarilydefined herein to illustrate certain significant functionality. To theextent used, the flow diagram block boundaries and sequence could havebeen defined otherwise and still perform the certain significantfunctionality. Such alternate definitions of both functional buildingblocks and flow diagram blocks and sequences are thus within the scopeand spirit of the claimed invention. One of average skill in the artwill also recognize that the functional building blocks, and otherillustrative blocks, modules and components herein, can be implementedas illustrated or by discrete components, application specificintegrated circuits, processors executing appropriate software and thelike or any combination thereof.

The present invention may have also been described, at least in part, interms of one or more embodiments. An embodiment of the present inventionis used herein to illustrate the present invention, an aspect thereof, afeature thereof, a concept thereof, and/or an example thereof. Aphysical embodiment of an apparatus, an article of manufacture, amachine, and/or of a process that embodies the present invention mayinclude one or more of the aspects, features, concepts, examples, etc.described with reference to one or more of the embodiments discussedherein. Further, from figure to figure, the embodiments may incorporatethe same or similarly named functions, steps, modules, etc. that may usethe same or different reference numbers and, as such, the functions,steps, modules, etc. may be the same or similar functions, steps,modules, etc. or different ones.

Unless specifically stated to the contra, signals to, from, and/orbetween elements in a figure of any of the figures presented herein maybe analog or digital, continuous time or discrete time, and single-endedor differential. For instance, if a signal path is shown as asingle-ended path, it also represents a differential signal path.Similarly, if a signal path is shown as a differential path, it alsorepresents a single-ended signal path. While one or more particulararchitectures are described herein, other architectures can likewise beimplemented that use one or more data buses not expressly shown, directconnectivity between elements, and/or indirect coupling between otherelements as recognized by one of average skill in the art.

The term “module” is used in the description of the various embodimentsof the present invention. A module includes a functional block that isimplemented via hardware to perform one or module functions such as theprocessing of one or more input signals to produce one or more outputsignals. The hardware that implements the module may itself operate inconjunction software, and/or firmware. As used herein, a module maycontain one or more sub-modules that themselves are modules.

While particular combinations of various functions and features of thepresent invention have been expressly described herein, othercombinations of these features and functions are likewise possible. Thepresent invention is not limited by the particular examples disclosedherein and expressly incorporates these other combinations.

1. Social networking (SNET) processing circuitry to support interactionsbetween SNET groups, the SNET processing circuitry configured to: dock afirst SNET group with a second SNET group, the first SNET groupincluding a first infrastructure that provides first resources, and thesecond SNET group including a second infrastructure; and provide access,for a device that is docked with the second SNET group, to a resource ofthe first resources provided by the first SNET group.
 2. The SNETprocessing circuitry of claim 1, wherein: the first resources providedby the first infrastructure are global resources, the firstinfrastructure is associated with a plurality of local infrastructuresthat provide local resources, the second infrastructure is one or moreof the plurality of local infrastructures; and the first SNET group isdocked with the second SNET group to provide a combination of global andlocal resources to the device that is docked with the second SNET group.3. The SNET processing circuitry of claim 2, wherein at least one of thelocal resources is associated with a premises, and wherein the SNETprocessing circuitry is further configured to alter access to the atleast one of the local resources in response to a trigger eventassociated with the premises.
 4. The SNET processing circuitry of claim1, further configured to: dock the first SNET group with the second SNETgroup according to a docking specification included in the first SNETgroup.
 5. The SNET processing circuitry of claim 4, further configuredto initiate docking based, at least in part, on an event completiontrigger.
 6. The SNET processing circuitry of claim 4, further configuredto undock the first SNET group from the second SNET group based, atleast in part, on an event completion trigger.
 7. The SNET processingcircuitry of claim 1, wherein the first SNET group and the second SNETgroup are assigned to different tiers of an SNET grouping hierarchy. 8.A method of supporting interactions between SNET groups, the methodcomprising: docking a first SNET group with a second SNET group, thefirst SNET group including a first infrastructure that provides firstresources, and the second SNET group including a second infrastructure;and providing access, for a device that is docked with the second SNETgroup, to a resource of the first resources provided by the first SNETgroup.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein: the first resources providedby the first infrastructure are global resources; the firstinfrastructure is associated with a plurality of local infrastructuresthat provide local resources; the second infrastructure is one or moreof the plurality of local infrastructures; and providing a combinationof global and local resources to the device that is docked with thesecond SNET group.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein at least one ofthe local resources is associated with a premises, and wherein the SNETprocessing circuitry is further configured to alter access to the atleast one of the local resources in response to a trigger eventassociated with the premises.
 11. The method of claim 8, furthercomprising: controlling the docking of the first SNET group with thesecond SNET group based on a docking specification included in the firstSNET group.
 12. The method of claim 11, further comprising: initiatingthe docking based, at least in part, on an event completion trigger. 13.The method of claim 11, further comprising: undocking the first SNETgroup from the second SNET group based, at least in part, on an eventcompletion trigger.
 14. The method of claim 8, wherein the first SNETgroup is assigned to higher tier of an SNET grouping hierarchy relativeto the second SNET group.
 15. A social network (SNET) device thatsupports interactions between SNET groups, the SNET device comprising:processing circuitry configured to: dock a first SNET group with asecond SNET group, the first SNET group including a first infrastructurethat provides first resources, and the second SNET group including asecond infrastructure; and provide access, for a device that is dockedwith the second SNET group, to a resource of the first resourcesprovided by the first SNET group.
 16. The SNET device of claim 15,wherein: the first resources provided by the first infrastructure areglobal resources; the first infrastructure is associated with aplurality of local infrastructures that provide local resources; thesecond infrastructure is one or more of the plurality of localinfrastructures; and docking the first SNET group with the second SNETprovides a combination of global and local resources to the device thatis docked with the second SNET group.
 17. The SNET device of claim 16,wherein at least one of the local resources is associated with apremises, and wherein the SNET processing circuitry is furtherconfigured to alter access to the at least one of the local resources inresponse to a trigger event associated with the premises.
 18. The SNETdevice of claim 15, wherein the processing circuitry is furtherconfigured to: dock the first SNET group with the second SNET groupaccording to a docking specification included in the first SNET group.19. The SNET device of claim 18, further configured to initiate dockingbased, at least in part, on an event completion trigger.
 20. The SNETdevice of claim 18, further configured to undock the first SNET groupfrom the second SNET group based, at least in part, on an eventcompletion trigger.